Back in the Day Audiobook By Katrina Jackson cover art

Back in the Day

Bay Area Blues, Book 2

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Back in the Day

By: Katrina Jackson
Narrated by: Jakobi Diem
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2010 - Helping pack up his childhood home was going much easier than Amir expected. The only sticking point is the record collection his father Alonzo refuses to put in storage. When Amir asked his father why he needs to keep all those records with him, Alonzo offers to tell him a story instead.

Monterey Pop Festival - In 1967, Alonzo was a baby music reporter at the Village Voice on his first big assignment. By his side is photographer Ada Carr who is all brown skin, big afro, and sharp tongue. He should be worried about his story, but all he can think about is the way Ada looks dancing to the music in the dusk, the stage lights illuminating her form. He knows love when he sees, or better yet hears, it.

Over the course of two weekends, over 40 years apart, Alonzo imparts a soundtrack of love and life to Amir that bridges the past and present and they both learn how to say goodbye.

Content warnings: Parental death, grief, and recreational drug use.

©2021 Katrina Jackson (P)2022 Katrina Jackson 20th Century African American Historical Historical Fiction Heartfelt
Poetic Writing • Nostalgic Love Story • Engaging Family Story • Dynamic Novella • Lyrical Storytelling
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told story. I love that the sex scenes weren't an over kill. They were just right. I could hear each song that was mentioned. I love the line from Alonzo ”we weren't always your parents, ” Amen! We seem to forget that the same passion that magnetize us to another, our parents/grandparents have experienced once before too..

Beautiful....

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This story gave everything it needed to give. Kudos to the author for the skill to pen such a dynamic and engaging story in the space of a novella. Ten Stars ⭐️

Perfection 🤌🏾

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Such a beautiful story…tender and heartwarming, but still sexy in a way that shouldn’t have surprised me coming from this author, but did! 10/10, will definitely read again!

😍😍😍

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Wow! Listening to “Back In The Day” conjured such wonderful childhood memories for me especially the joys in Motown & The Jackson 5’s music. My goodness, I could relate to Alonso concerns and meticulous care of his (and Ada’s) precious vinyl collection! They just don’t make music (class Rock, R&B, Jazz and Blues) like that anymore ☺️🥲🤷🏾‍♀️‼️The 60’s & 70’s were the sweet years for awesome music, incredible festivals, great bands, hot pants, baby doll dresses, platforms, afro/afro puffs, cornrows with beads & posners get down brown lip stick🤣😂.…yea, those were great times! …thank you for the trip, back down memory lane 💭🥰‼️

Back Down Memory Lane

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I love Katrina Jackson’s writing, and her 2021 novella, Back in the Day, is one of my favorite pieces of writing in any genre. I finally bought the audiobook version narrated by Jakobi Diem. His narration is perfect, and he found new ways for this book to make me cry. I really didn’t think I could fall more in love with Jackson’s writing, but the richness Diem brought to her words proved me wrong. I am literally crying right now just thinking about the way he took words I already love and gave them more depth.

Back in the Day shifts between 2010 and the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. In 2010 Amir is helping his father Alonzo pack up the family home so that Alonzo can move in with Amir. Alonzo’s enormous record collection is a sticking point between them, so Amir asks his father to explain why they must keep every record. Alonzo goes back to running late to meet the photographer he’s been paired with to cover the Monterey Pop Festival for he Village Voice. The photographer is Ada, and the weekend changes their lives. Alonzo’s story of falling in love with Ada while the two bond over their love of music is interspersed with examining the fruit of their life life together. Ada died a few years before the book opens, but she is present in the house, the community, and in Amir and his sister Amaya.

If you want to do something nice for yourself, go get this, print or audio version, but audio version if you really love yourself.

Jakobi Diem found new ways for me to fall in love with one of my favorite novellas

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I love everything about this book. what a beautiful love story. The narration was nothing less than stellar. Well done..

let's go back

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I love the way this was written. It was a love story but also a. story about a son with an aging father. This was just beautifully done.

This was really good

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This is my first title for Ms. Jackson - while Jakobi Diem was what initially drew me to the project, I was so intrigued after I read the synopsis. Her writing is poetic - with Back In The Day, a beautiful ebb and flow of words that transports the listener back in time, to his or her first experience of falling in love. The way she wove music and photography into this story was masterful, lyrical. I loved Amir’s relationship to his family, and the dynamics and banter between him and his father were so hilarious and real.

Jakobi Diem’s portrayal of each of these very distinct characters is emotional and wistful…he adds the right amount of softness, pain and passion to his performances that take the listener on an amazing journey.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Katrina Jackson has a new fan

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I absolutely loved the musical references throughout this story....The story basically expressed how music is the soundtrack to a lot of families lives...After Amir & Amaya loss their mother....they go to help their father Alonzo pack up the family home so that he can move in with his son Amir....in the midst of packing the house up...they come across a lot of Albums (Old LP's) and need to make a decision what to do about them....this was really a good story....but, I didn't like the fact that the author made Alonzo so sad...although, I realize he had just loss his wife....it was really just too sad for me....the bright spot was the constant talk of music and how it played an intrigue part of their lives. Jakobi's narration was stellar as always!

I Loved The Constant Musical References🎵🎶

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Let’s Set the Mood Right Quick:

Back In the Day by Katrina Jackson

Drink: Bourbon Old Fashion

Music: He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat) by Jill Scott, Stars by Kindred the Family Soul

Audible: Jakobi Diem: Jakobi took his time with this one. It felt like he let every word marinate on his tongue before delivering into our ears. It was such an unhurried story and a chill vibe that Jakobi delivered effortlessly. He took his time articulating every word and immersing you in the moment. He left us feeling like we watched a film vs reading a book. That’s how much his voice brought these words to life. The audible is a must.

Alonzo Reid: If, “forever and always,” was a person it would be Alonzo. He truly proved that true love is timeless.

Ada Carr: If, “fun,” was a person it would be Ada. She was so sweet and proved time and time again that love and patience go a long way.

Amir Reid: If, “I want to be like you when I grow up,” was a person it would be Amir. He was the perfect representation of a man that still needed his dad.

This story was such a joy to read. It felt like opening a time capsule and walking into the past. The picture was painted so clearly, and you felt the love, the friendship, and the community that these characters got to experience. Back in the Day was just a clever romantic read. This was our first story by Katrina Jackson, but it won’t be our last.

Recipe can be found on Google by Liquor (dot) com

Sip approved ✅

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